Displacement means for currency testing device



April 30, 1963 N. A. GEcEwlcz 3,087,766

DISPLACEMENT MEANS FCR CURRENCY TESTING DEVICE Filed June 30, 1960 O CFE :E g FIG. 1 :I i i' Il Q .l H

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L ,f ko i i 35 O/ United States Patent O 3,087,766 DISPLACEMENT MEANS FOR CURRENCY TESTING DEVICE Norbert A. Gecewicz, Rockford, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Automatic Canteen Company of America, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed .lune 30, 1960, Ser. No. 40,050 7 Claims. (Cl. S12- 212) This invention relates in general to a currency testing arrangement and more particularly relates to an arrangement for frustrating attempts to cheat such an arrangement by retraction of a currency note responsive to its being tested.

In its organization the present invention largely comprises novel structure for a currency acceptance unit and constitutes an improvement in the arrangement shown in application Ser. No. 744,966, tiled on June 6, 1958. That application and its forerunners disclose the mechanical structure and the basic circuit arrangements permitting certain currency evaluations to be made. The arrangement `by which this is done comprises a horizontal -slide having a trough therein into which currency such as a dollar bill is deposited. A door hingedly secured to the slide is closed over the deposited currency and the slide carrying the currency is reciprocated into a test position between certain lamps and light responsive cells. On the slide being operated into the test position, appropriate circuitry is controlled to operate a solenoid, which locks the slide in place. The lamps are then lighted. The light is transmitted in various degrees through respective areas of the currency depending, of course, on the color and value of the respective areas. The light responsive cells underlying the various areas respond to the quantity of light passing through those areas to provide an indication of the acceptability of the currency. Thus these cells are divided into three groups called black,` White and green in accordance with the well known characteristics of currency notes. The currency is rejected if either the black or green cells receive more than a predetermined amount of light or the white cells less than a predetermined amount of light. If found unacceptable the slide is released and coin payout prevented. If found acceptable the currency is collected into a cash box on being stripped from the slide. This is done by a stripper motor,y solenoid and guillotine arrangement which operate asy described in the mentioned application. A coin payout motor is now energized and it operates a cam or finger in any well known manner to dispense the required coins. The slide is also released and automatically reciprocated into its unoperated position where it is prepared to receive another deposit of currency.

In the described test a situation has been uncovered which may encourage attempts to cheat. For example, under certain circumstances an adhesive or other means might [be used to attach a light string or thread to a currency note inserted in the trough of the slide. After the apparatus has tested the note and found it valid, the string might be used to successfully retract or retrieve a note from the test area while the coin payout arrangement is operated to dispense coins. The note might also he carried on top of the slide door and placed in the test area. After testing valid, a note in this position could possibly be retrieved in a manner similar to that described. As

3,087,766 Patented Apr. 30, 1963 ICC may be envisioned, the mere possibility of the existence of this situation is very detrimental.

It is therefore proposed in the present invention by a very simple and clever expedient to prevent the removal of a note once the drawer or slide is in the test area. Thus by providing a number of prongs or tongues on the ydoor of the slide and on the slide, which mate with corresponding grooves in the table top, a series of stops are provided against the back edge of the note to prevent its retraction once the slide is in the test area.

Likewise to prevent removal of the note, if laid upon the door top, prongs placed on the front wall of the test housing are provided to mate with the corresponding grooves in the slide and door so that the note can not be retrieved. 'It will be appreciated, of course, that the particular position or location of the prongs and grooves in either case is subject to considerable variation.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to frustrate attempts to retract a currency note after it has been placed in the test area of an automatic currency testing arrangement.

-It is another object of this invention to provide a stop arrangement which prevents the retraction of a currency note in an attempt to cheat an automatic currency test arrangement of the type that provides automatic coin payout responsive to having tested a valid note.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of this invention, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, this invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

FIG. 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of the slide, table top and attendant apparatus partially shown and similar to that shown in the aforementioned application.

iFIG. 2 is a rsectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. l.

The drawings insofar as practical use the same reference characters as used in the aforementioned application to permit easy identification of the various components and only so much of those components is shown as necessary to illustrate the operation of this invention.

Thus in FIG. l a horizontal table 10 is indicated in part and supported by means not shown. It carries a frame or bracket 16, shown in part, on its top wall 14 secured thereto by fastening means 26. The top wall `of bracket 16 carries the lamps, not shown, which overlie .the test area. Bracket 16 also has a front wall 85 shown partially in section and partially broken away. That Wall carries a number of laterally spaced prongs, keys or teeth adapted to mate with respective grooves in the slide 44 and door 54. The depth or length of the grooves is, of course, governed by the dimensions of the keys and the position of the slide and door in the test position.

A pair of runners or guide rails 46 are also appropriately secured at 47 to the top wall 14 of the table. Mounted between the runners 46 and extending beneath the offset portion 50 thereof, is the slide 44. It is provided with an opening 52 in an intermediate portion thereof into which the currency is inserted. The slide 44 also has a handle 60 thereon to permit its operation into the test area with the opening or trough 52 underlying the bracket or housing 16 as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1 indicating the locked slide position.

The slide opening 52 is provided with a door 54 which is mounted on slide 44 at hinges 56 so that it may be operated by means of handle 58 to permit insertion of a currency note into the exposed trough 52. The handle portion is also modified from that disclosed in the aforementioned application and comprising a linger hole 59 into which a finger may be inserted and then partially hooked into the door recess 63 to raise the door 54. The door is provided with aligned openings 57 whereby light may be transmitted through the note indicated at 120 when the note is properly related to bracket 16 in the test area. An opening 126 is also provided in door 54 by means of which the note is stripped from opening 52 as described in the aforementioned application.

The slide 44 is normally urged away from its test position by means of partially shown coil springs 62 and anchored against bumpers 65. Also shown are the bill feeler switches comprising members 72 protruding through openings 74 by means of which a determination is made that the currency is in the test area. Members 72 are operated to first operate a lock solenoid (not shown), which initiates testing and locks the slide in the test position. The lock solenoid is provided with an armature which trips the latch element 84 to engage the abutment 78 carried by the slide 44 as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1.

As will be seen in FIG. 2, the slide 44 has directly adjacent to one side of trough 52 on its underside a number of laterally spaced keys or tongues 100 aligned with correspondingly mating grooves 115 in the table top 14. Several of the table top grooves 115 underlie grooves 135 in the slide 44 and therefore are not seen in FIG. 1. In addition keys or tongues 101 are provided on the bottom of door 54 to mate with corresponding grooves 115. The keys or tongues 101 are in alignment with corresponding tongues 100 on the slides as may be seen in FIG. 1. It will be appreciated that in the aforementioned :application .the note on deposit in the trough lay on the table top thereby presenting the possibility of its removal by retraction either Ithrough the space between the table top and the back of the trough or between the table top and the slide.

It Will be seen that following lthe insertion of the currency note in the trough 52 and closure of the door 54, the note 120 cannot be removed without opening the door. Thus the tongues 100 and/ or 101 mating with the grooves 115 provide a barrier to the lateral movement of the note indicated at 120 with respect to slide 44 or trough 52.

The slide is grasped at handle 60 and moved into the test area with the note 120 under bracket or housing 16. At this time the keys 125 on wall 85 and mating with grooves 135 largely prevent a note from being carried into the test area on top of door 54 and in any event prevent its retraction therefrom. On being moved into the test position, the slide 44 and currency note 120 are disposed to operate switch members 72. They in yturn operate the lock solenoid, not shown, which trips latch 84 to engage abutment 78 and lock the slide in place. The required tests may now be performed as described lin the aforementioned application and the note 120 either collected through opening 126 or rejected.

It will be noted that retraction or attempted retraction of the note by pulling on an attached string or similar arrangement will bring the back edge of note 120 against the various tongues and 101 and its removal from underneath the door 54 or slide 44 is prevented. Likewise the tongues 12S mating with grooves 135 prevent retraction of a note carried on the door top in the test area. Under some circumstances it may be possible to manipulate the note into the test position on top of door 54, but its retraction from this position would be next to impossible. As door 54 is prevented from much movement in the test area the note cannot be retracted and will be collected. Thus unauthorized attempts to remove the note are defeated. It will be appreciated that the lateral positioning of the tongues and grooves and the length and displacement of each is governed by the dimensioning of the various components and is selected and positioned to provide free movement thereof and without interfering with the test.

In accordance with the above, there has been shown and described herein a novel, useful and simple arrangement for preventing the unauthorized removal of currency from the receptacle of an automatic currency test arrangement, but the particular embodiments or forms of the invention described herein are not limitations upon other manners of practicing the invention.

I claim:

1. An improvement in a currency test arrangement wherein a currency note receptacle is reciprocated into a test area to permit a validity test to be performed on a currency note therein which if tested valid is collected and which if tested invalid is rejected by retraction of said receptacle to a position wherein the currency note is removable, comprising means engaging with said receptacle to prevent retraction of a currency note from said test area without retraction of said receptacle, said test area being provided with a wall beneath which said note is moved and a plurality of laterally spaced apart keys carried by said wall and engaging grooves in said receptacle.

2. An improvement in a currency test arrangement wherein a currency note receptacle is reciprocated into a test area to permit a validity test to be performed on a currency note therein which, if tested valid, is collected, and which, if tested invalid, is rejected by retraction of said receptacle to a position wherein the currency note is removable, comprising means engaging said receptacle to prevent retraction of a currency note from said test area without retraction of said receptacle, said receptacle comprising an element having a trough therein of which the s1de engages a currency note resting on a planar surface and said means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced apart keys in said element engaging corresponding grooves in said planar surface.

3. An improvement in a test arrangement for a sheet materlal wherein a receptacle for said sheet material is reciprocated into a test area, said improvement comprislng means adapted to engage said receptacle to prevent retraction of said sheet material from said receptacle while 1n the test area without retraction of said receptacle from .said test area comprising a `wall beneath said sheet materlal while in said test area, and a plurality of laterally spaced apart keys carried by said wall and engaging grooves in said receptacle.

4. A11 improvement in a test arrangement for a sheet material wherein a receptacle for said sheet material is reclprocated into a test area `to permit a test to be performed thereon, said receptacle comprising an element having a trough therein dimensioned to receive the sheet material at rest on a planar surface, and a plurality of laterally spaced apart keys in said element engaging correspondrng grooves in said planar surface to prevent retractron of said sheet material from the test area without retraction of said receptacle.

5. In combination a currency note support and a slide having a currency opening for moving said currency into a test area to permit a determination of the validity of sald note, the improvement comprising a plurality of keys carried adjacent one edge of said currency opening, and

grooves in said currency note support for matingly engaging with said keys to prevent retraction of said note from said test area independent of retraction of said slide.

6. In combination a support and a slide movable with respect to said support `for moving a sheet material into a test area to permit a test -to be performed thereon, the improvement comprising means carried by said slide and adapted to engage said support to prevent retraction of said sheet material when in said test area comprising a plurality of keys carried adjacent one free edge of said sheet material and grooves in said support for matingly engaging said keys.

7. In combination a support and a slide having a currency note opening for moving a note into a test area to permit a determination of the validity of said note, said test area being provided with a wall beneath which said note is moved, and a plurality of mating keys yand grooves associated with said wall and said slide to prevent retraction of said note from said test area independent of retraction of said slide and to prevent said note from being inserted into said test area in any position other than that within said currency opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN IMPROVEMENT IN A CURRENCY TEST ARRANGEMENT WHEREIN A CURRENCY NOTE RECEPTACLE IS RECIPROCATED INTO A TEST AREA TO PERMIT A VALIDITY TEST TO BE PERFORMED ON A CURRENCY NOTE THEREIN WHICH IF TESTED VALID IS COLLECTED AND WHICH IF TESTED INVALID IS REJECTED BY RETRACTION OF SAID RECEPTACLE TO A POSITION WHEREIN THE CURRENCY NOTE IS REMOVABLE, COMPRISING MEANS ENGAGING WITH SAID RECEPTACLE TO PREVENT RETRACTION OF A CURRENCY NOTE FROM SAID TEST AREA WITHOUT RETRACTION OF SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID TEST AREA BEING PROVIDED WITH A WALL BENEATH WHICH SAID NOTE IS MOVED AND A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY SPACED APART KEYS CARRIED BY SAID WALL AND ENGAGING GROOVES IN SAID RECEPTACLE.
 5. IN COMBINATION A CURRENCY NOTE SUPPORT AND A SLIDE HAVING A CURRENCY OPENING FOR MOVING SAID CURRENCY INTO A TEST AREA TO PERMIT A DETERMINATION OF THE VALIDITY OF 